Nighttime Drifting
by Skye
Summary: Layla often can't sleep, so she sometimes walks around Alfea. Musa/Layla


**Nighttime Drifting**

Sometimes Layla thought it was odd that her bonded pixie was Piff, the one who represented a good night sleep. Not that she didn't love the little one, it was just that she'd always had trouble sleeping, often having to get up and get out during the nighttime hours. Piff sometimes drifted awake during Layla's nighttime rendezvous, only to fly up to her head and go to sleep again. Other times she realized, maybe this wasn't that bad of a combination. It beat being bonded with a pixie that was a light sleeper, and complained.

Like Francis. Layla's roommate woke with Layla simply quietly pacing around the room, as if her actual worried state were loud and obnoxious. Layla didn't want to bother her, so she had headed outside the room, eventually wandering over to Musa and the others's suite. She opened the door to Musa and Tecna's room, to sneak a peak at her crush. She stood over Musa, seeing that she was of course sleeping soundly, and safely, as always.

Layla worried about her a lot. It wasn't like she was in any danger, at least no more than the rest of them in Alfea. Layla just worried that whenever she started to care about someone, they would be taken away from her somehow. It had happened with her very first friend, Ann, and later temporarily with her pixie friends. Layla cared about Musa in a different way, and was worried that her bad luck with these kind of relationships might put her musically inclined friend in even more danger.

But right in that moment, she was fine. Layla tip-toed out the door, little Piff sighing in her arms, and closed it softly. Afterwards she relaxed on a chair outside. "Why am I always so stupid like this, huh?" she asked, mostly to herself, while pushing a strand of hair out of Piff's face.

"I don't think it's stupid," another voice answered.

Layla looked around quickly. She'd hadn't really meant for anyone to hear that. She saw Tune floating next to her, and relaxed a bit. Piff very slightly stirred.

Tune and Musa, that was a weird pair. Musa was the least proper and fancy princess that Layla had ever met, while Tune was all about that kind of stuff. But what was Tune doing up now?

"Tune?" Layla said, asking the question in one word.

"Don't call yourself stupid, Layla, you're a very brave girl," she said.

"I know," Layla said apathetically. "But sometimes, well, most of the time, that really isn't enough."

"It is when it counts. Don't think of yourself so negatively."

"I can't help it, Tune. I might have been the one to rescue all of you, but I'm actually pretty socially incompetent."

"You're not! You've been trained in social graces."

"Yeah, don't remind me," Layla said. "I'm also totally paranoid."

"Oh?" Tune said.

"Yeah, why else would I have to check on Musa all time at this time?" Layla asked. She looked over guiltily at Tune. "I guess you noticed."

"Yes, but I don't look at it the same way as you. I think it's kind of sweet how you do that," Tune said with a smile.

"Oh?"

"Yes. You know very well that I'm Musa's bonded pixie, and I want you to know that there's no one I approve of for her more than you."

"What?!" Layla exclaimed, jumping up a little. She soon relaxed, trying not to wake up Piff.

"Princess Layla will be a good influence on Princess Musa when it comes to formal matters. And you care for her much more than that ruffian Riven," Tune said with the slightest pout on her small face.

"Yeah, why don't you just keep on dreaming for both of us, huh?" Layla suggested, although she couldn't help but smile a little at Tune.

Tune curtsied towards Layla, and flew away, to get more sleep.

Layla now sat by herself, other than little Piff of course. She wished she could fall asleep as easily as these tiny beings. Still, Layla closed her eyes at least. Everything was fine, and she was a little tired.

So Tune had picked up on her feelings for Musa, huh? Well, it was better than Chatta, who would spill it to everyone with color commentary, or Amore, who would try and pair them together, thereby alerting everyone. Layla began going over in her mind all the possible bad situations for if the other girls found out. She'd lose her friends, and worse, Musa would be gone from her life. That could be how she was destined to lose this friend, so she might as well stop checking on her every night.

Piff drowsily looked up at her bonded fairy's worried face, then flew on top of her head. Both fairy and pixie relaxed now.

Sure, it was possible bad things would happen, but it was also possible she would have a very happy outcome. Layla dreamed of a wedding, the type Tune would like, with everyone dressed in fancy dresses. Although that kind of formal atmosphere mostly held negative connotations for Layla, this was a special day, and she felt happy, standing with Musa. Their dresses were the most beautiful of all, as they were in the center of things. After the sweet ceremony, she and Musa laughed as they ran away from the crowds, going toward the shores of Tides.


End file.
